No bidding for P130M certified rice seeds program?
The procurement of P130 million worth of certified rice seeds for the Department of Agriculture's Ginintuang Masaganang Ani (GMA) did not undergo the bidding process. Instead, the rice seeds were procured through a negotiated contract which were all cornered by the West Visayas Multi-Purpose and Seeds Producer Association.
This was confirmed by Edgar Baylon, DA's regional seed coordinator in an interview with The News Today (TNT). Baylon however clarified that the selling price is the same in the entire country.
Baylon also defended that the West Visayas Multi-Purpose and Seeds Producer Association is included in the DA's list of qualified seeds producer.
DA regional director Larry Nacionales was not available for comment when reached by TNT yesterday. He was in the province of Aklan to attend President Arroyo's visit.
In Iloilo alone, the department has a target to plant certified rice seeds in 38,000 hectares. The total target for the entire region which includes the provinces of Aklan, Capiz, Antique and Guimaras is 109,000 hectares. For the entire region, the total project cost will amount to P130,800,000. In every hectare, the department will provide a subsidy of one sack of certified seeds.
A source speaking on condition of anonymity said the department would always call for a failure of bidding to pave way for a negotiated contract.
Meanwhile, Baylon said there is an increase of farmer beneficiaries in the certified rice seeds program because of the high production rate and lower cost of the rice seeds. The certified rice seeds program is the government's response to the national food crisis.
Under the GMA certified seeds program, the government gives subsidies to the farmers. Here, a 40-kilo sack of certified rice seeds sells at P1,200. The farmer will only pay P440 and the government subsidized the remaining P760, said Baylon.
The GMA certified rice seeds program is one of the component in the P43.7 billion package to address the rice crisis, boost agricultural productivity and ensure the country's food security. The rice seeds subsidy program will run until 2010.
In the scheme, the farmers will pay the department after which a slip is given for them to get their sacks of certified seeds in the seeds provider store house. For every hectare, one sack of certified seeds will be planted. The farmer beneficiaries are members of a cooperative or organization that are farming in the DA identified cluster areas, said Baylon.